Other Paths Along the Beams
by chefjet
Summary: Ron starts having strange dreams about roses and a tower.
1. Default Chapter

Other Worlds Than These- Stories of other levels of the Tower and how many others traversed the levels in an attempt to reach the tower at the end of the beams.

Authors Note- Standard disclaimer for both Kim Possible and Stephen Kings themes and possible future characters from The Dark Tower series. I have looked into the navel of Gan and must tell my story to its end, say thankya.

One-

Interpretation

At first the dreams were too abstract to bother over or even remember for very long, walking with a rose in one hand or the other beside a tiger through a town that resembled something out of an old western, weird but nothing to get worked up over. It was when the rose began to sing and the tiger to talk that things got clearer and at the same time made less sense as the two items changed nightly and then the appearance of a tower and cloaked figures looking for the items that he had. The one last night however was the worst or strangest, whichever you picked and right now Ron was leaning towards both. He had the rose(always the same crimson red) in a small pot and it seemed to be wilting though he had seen it go from this state to full bloom in previous dreams. He had just exited what looked to be a saloon and the street was deserted except for the dog. It talked like the tiger in the same gruff town of an old man who's smoked too much.

"Sai Ronald, know ye now the path of the beam. Look yonder to the way of the turtle. Find the tower at the end of the beam of Maturin. Stand and be true." With that it hobbled away one of its back legs seemed to be sprained.

Shaking his head Ron continued toward a dirt road and into a forest which seemed to appear out of nowhere as he continued deeper into the darkness along a narrowing dirt path. It wasn't long before the forest became too dark and the rose began to suddenly glow with a strange, other worldly light that filled Ron with a strange comfort. That didn't last long as figures in heavy coats and cloaks started to appear from the forest weapons in their hands, guns. Moving a foreign impulse Ron reached for a gun and pulled one from a low slung dockers clutch he was sure hadn't been there earlier. Time seemed to stop as he located each figure then fired at them unloading the six shots he had and reloading with another six pulled from a pocket in the button up shirt he seemed to be wearing.

In the process of the shot out however the rose fell from his other hand, the pot it was in smashing and the rose falling to the ground. Instead of wilting however as it had done in other versions of the dream it took root causing other roses to bloom the remaining attackers in their low coats retreating from light the collective roses made. It was here however that the strangest thing occurred, the roses continuing to sprout and bloom caused the forest to fade away staying to either side of the old path they turned the whole forest into a field of roses all blooming and glowing and now singing as the rose had on other rare occasions only they all sang and made a great chorus. There was a great cry from far off and looming in the distance of this new field of roses stood a dark cylindrical shape. High over the landscaped the tower climbed looming like a great dragon over its hoard casting a shadow along the path between the roses.

Well out of the daze of his fight Ron placed the gun, one of two he found in the left shoulder holster and again followed the singing of the roses towards the tower at the end of the path. The chorus of the roses came to a crescendo as suddenly the singing turned from a single hum to a single soft voice whispering to him. That was when he woke up, a light film of sweat on his brow and the faint scent of roses on a late summer afternoon filling his nostrils.

"Freaky dream." Ron muttered stumbling out of bed before glancing at his alarm clock which read 7:15

Doing a double take he swore under his breath before making a break for the bathroom, clothes flying as he flew down the hall, a short four minute shower later and Ron was dressed and ready to go with his good friend Rufus tucked into the front right pocket of his cargo pants.

"Morning Ronald". His father commented immersed in the Middleton Times.

"No time to talk pop." Ron shouted grabbing two pieces of toast meant for his father as he raced out the front door to backpack swinging on it single strap as he raced to catch up with his best friend Kim Possible who he was sure already on her way to school. He caught up to her about a block past her house panting as he slowed causing her to turn, a wry smile creeping across her previously worried face.

"Late again ron?" she asked in a slightly sarcastic tone.

"Sorry KP, I had this weird dream that just kept going on and on." He explained clutching at a stitch in his side.

"Tell me all about on the way to school." She replied turning again and walking, slower now towards school again.

After massaging the pain out of his side ron started in on describing the dream in all its details. This was nothing new for either of them since the strange and seemingly shared dream they had when visiting the Middleton history museum. She seemed interested in the rose and the song that it sang, but for the life of him ron couldn't describe the song save with a single phrase, pure beauty.

"Wait you said you shot some dark figures."

"Yeah, I want to call them low men, but I don't know why."

Kim was about to ask about the guns ron had used when she stopped short noticing that ron too had stopped in his tracks in front of an abandoned lot where a decaying house stood or rather leaned.

"This is the old Toren place." He muttered looking not at the house but at the yard or what was left of it in front.

"I remember when old Mr. Toren died, they said his final wish was to ensure that no one could buy his house or the property around it. Remember we snuck in there once.

"Yup." Ron said his jaw now slightly slack, hands gripping the chain link fence that seemed to have been erected recently.

Kim could tell something was wrong, the dream had disturbed ron and to an extent it had disturbed her but now something else had grabbed his attention inside of the abandoned lot. He seemed to be staring at the now dead garden that was sectioned off with various smoothed and stacked stones, there the remains of a rose bush crawled up the side of the faded house.

"The Rose." They both said at the same moment. Ron turned to Kim a look of awe on his face.

"Just a coincidence KP?" he asked hopefully. His hand was outstretched pointing to the rose bush and more specifically a single wilted rose on one of the lower stems.

"Come on Ron, it has to be coincidence. We have to get going; don't worry about that dead rose."

Kim tried to reassure him, but still he wore that worried face.

"I didn't tell you the words that the rose spoke." He whispered.

What do you mean?"

"When the field began to sing as one I could hear a single voice sweeter and purer than any I've heard before, it told me that I must protect the rose, find Toren and protect the rose or the tower would fall." He turned to her his eyes wide with a strange unnamed worry.

She shook her head having lost herself in Ron's eyes for a moment, in his perhaps not so unfounded fear. The Ron factor may have been total bunk but she still trusted his gut instincts and right now she couldn't help but think there might be a reason to worry about that sickly looking rose.

"Tell you what Ron, we'll check out the rose at lunch, okay? We should have enough time to sneak in there and get back." This seemed to bring Ron back if only slightly.

"Sure KP that sounds great." He replied continuing down the road to school.

Next- Wolf and Ape. Kim and Ron learn the truth of the beams and the rose.


	2. TwoWolf and Ape

Other Paths Along the Beams

Two- Wolf and Ape

See the Ape of greatest size

He holds all worlds in his hands and eyes

His reach is great in all things large and small

All details he does set towards ka and the tower

The first half of the school day seemed to grind on forever to Ron, which was nothing new but today was different, he knew this but didn't fully understand just how different it was going to turn out. During second period english Mr. Barkin caught him doodling in his notebook, sketching the rose from his dream along with the guns he had used. Barkin seemed surprised by the sketches but only asked to talk with Ron after school.

"You mean detention?" Ron asked already sinking into a funk.

"No Stoppable, a private discussion." Mr. Barkin told him handing the notebook back to the lanky blonde.

Kim had witnessed all this and was surprised herself, not only by the punishment (or lack there of) but the way Barkin's mood shifted when he saw what Ron had been sketching. She caught up with him on the way to chemistry after informing Monique that she had to run home at lunch to pick up a book. It wasn't the first time she had fibbed to Monique but she still felt strange how easily she had done so to go see a stupid dead rose in and an old abandoned house. Tapping on Ron's shoulder nearly made him jump out of his skin, he relaxed however when he saw who it was giving Kim a weary grin.

"Sorry KP its one weird thing after another." He said with a sigh opening the door to chemistry for her.

"Yeah, Barkin sure was acting strange, I mean more so than usual." Kim added the last bit when Ron gave her a look that seemed to say when isn't he strange.

It had always been a mystery as to how or why Mr. Barkin had gone from the army to teaching such diverse classes as English and Home Ec. The rest of the day went smoothly if you didn't count Ron nearly blowing his eyebrows off in chemistry which was a common occurrence anyways. After Latin, which seemed to make more sense than usual today, both Kim and Ron meet at Kim's locker to pick up some tools to get inside the fence. A few minutes later they were back outside of the old Toren house Ron working to pick the lock on the side of the square gate that surrounded the house. It only took a few moments for Ron with the pick a new toy that wade had sent them as a prototype for the same company that he had developed the sonic shoes for.

"Okay, we go in see the rose, come back out." Kim whispered.

"Right, sure." Ron agreed half heartedly moving softly on the dead grass of the front yard keeping close to the fence before breaking for the house.

Kim followed noticing how stealthy Ron had suddenly become, his eyes darting left and right as if a sudden attacker would appear from nowhere. Both reached the side of the house at the same time and moved slowly to the rose bushes that crawled and climbed up the rooted wood of the trusses attached to the side of the house. As they approached both teens were filled with a sense of ease and reassurance, all their worries and cares seemed to slip away as they approached the bush with the rose. Bending down on either side they were surprised to find that the rose grew not from the bush but from the ground up a single stem rising from the dry and slightly cracked ground surrounded by plant debris and remains of the house. Staring at the rose both seemed lost for words as the wilted and dying looking flower began to turn towards them and the noon day sun changing from a dark to light red its petals opening back up. As it came to full bloom the light of the rose engulfed both Kim and Ron and they were surrounded by voices both familiar and alien to them.

Three- Exploration

They would have stayed there all day and night starring at the wonder of the rose and all it held inside itself but after a few minutes the rose began to close again returning to its closed and wilted state. Both raised their heads at the same time seeing the reflection the light of the rose left in each others eyes.

"That was" Kim started.

"Amazing" Ron finished.

"I won't doubt you again Ron." Kim said softly as they both wiped the dirt off their pant legs.

"Yeah, now let's take a look inside the house." Ron said placing a hand on the side of the house. He pulled it away as if it had burned him, looking at his hand he found nothing wrong. Giving Kim a quick nod and a strange grin he turned on his heel and sprinted around to the front of the house. This caught Kim by surprise for a minute still in awe of the rose before coming to her senses and running after Ron.

"Hold on a minute." She called as she saw Ron's figure disappear inside the houses loose front door.

Ron had run into the house but stopped in the front foyer where to his left stood a staircase that spiraled slightly with a second staircase below it leading down into the cellar. In front of him however on either side of the staircase and down the narrow hallway stood number doors of all sizes and shapes through most were either square or rectangular. More to the point every door had carved upon it a picture of either a wolf or an Ape in numerous styles and with different materials including wood carved in the door itself, metal casting, stone statues to either side of a door, even stained glass pictures set within the doors of at least two. Also each bore the same legend but in a different language or script, Ron could make out four, the one in English, Hebrew and the the others in Latin and Japanese although the last two were harder as he had only a rudimentary knowledge of these two languages. All the legends had the same inscription however: See the Ape of greatest size

He holds all worlds in his hands and eyes

His reach is great in all things large and small

All details he does set towards ka and the tower

Kim caught up with Ron in this time as she too came to a halt in the entrance hall taking in the same scene and noticing more murals of ape's and wolves as well as other animals and a field of roses on the ceiling. The detail of every one of the doors and paintings seemed to still shine through after all the years of decay and ruin.

"What do you think these are all for Ron?" Kim asked slowly still taking it all in and hoping that Ron's dreams or the strange impulses that seemed to be driving him lately would have some answers.

"I don't know KP but look over there." Ron said after a moment noticing an altogether out of place electronic card reader with a small plague above that read.

North Central Positronics, LTD.

Middleton/Gilead

Personal Transport

Electronic Code Card Required

Currently Inoperable due to Beam repair

"My dad's done contract work for a North Central Positronics." Kim muttered running her hand over the plaque that read Middleton to Gilead.

"This keeps getting weirder and weirder KP." Ron said turning to his friend.

"Hate to say it but the weird can wait, we'll send some pictures to wade with the information on that plaque maybe he knows more about this North Central Positronics. Right now we need to get back before we miss gym and you miss your discussion with Barkin." Kim said pulling out her portable Kimmunicator and pointing out the time.

"Don't remind me." Ron said that weary grin back on his face. He followed Kim out of the front entrance giving a single longing look back as he had for the rose, his eyes meeting with that of an ape and wolf who seemed to be watching him as he left.

Rushing back to school the two teens through on their gym fatigues and headed outside where they started their first day of archery training including how to bend a bow and the proper notching of an arrow. Ron seemed to be very adept at the sport which he did have previous experience with both during his dreadful summer at Wannaweep but also during his time at Yamanagochi where he learned to use the much heavier long bow. The rest of the day went pretty smoothly until the last class bell rang and Ron trudged over to Kim's locker for a moment before heading to see Mr. Barkin.

"I'll wait for you if you want." She offered noticing the apprehensive look that Ron had.

"Naw KP, I'll be fine. Just worried is all. Call me as soon as wade has something though he added with another half hearted grin before marching down the hall where he could already see Barkin waiting for him.

"In here Stoppable." Barkin said calmly motioning to one of the less used classrooms.

Upon entering Ron noticed that the room was empty, maybe it wasn't detention after all he thought for a moment as Barkin closed the door and seated himself behind a large teachers desk.

"Please Ronald have a seat we have much to palaver." Barkin said motioning to a seat in front of Ron.

"Sure Mr. B." Ron said with a false worried smile.

"No need to worry Ronald, your not in trouble. Let me get right down to it however, I noticed your sketches of roses and pistols this morning. Tell me have you been having dreams about roses." Barkin asked clasping his hands together and giving Ron a solemn stare.

Ron was shocked, he had almost fallen out of his seat in fact, how could Mr. Barkin know or even guess such a thing from some simple sketches.

"More to the point Ronald does this sound familiar. See the Ape of greatest size. He holds all worlds in his hands and eyes. His reach is great in all things large and small. All details he does set towards ka and the tower."

"Wait, there's no way, unless you followed I mean what's going on here Mr. B." Ron said finally lost for words or at least constructive sentences.

"Quite simply Ronald that you are a gunslinger, and you must protect that rose in that lot and you must find the Dark Tower, it is your Ka." Barkin said firmly. Pulling the top desk drawer out Barkin pulled out a box with strange script written on it.

"What are you talking about Mr. B, I don't even know what a gunslinger is and what is this dark tower, is it the one in my dreams?" Ron asked intrigued yet puzzled

"First we must palaver with your parents, they know the full story of how we came to the Manni folk and this world." Barkin said pulling out a bag and placing the box inside.

"My folks?" Ron asked totally lost now.

Next- Bloodlines and Prophecies.

Authors Note- I know I said that Ron and Kim would find out about the beams and the roses but I had to rewrite most of this chapter and found that the story meshes better if I hold off till the next chapter. Also if anyone would like to try and rework the Ape's rhyme I would take suggestions or new lyrics. Yes, for all those detail fiends out there two of the twelve guardians that connect like the Turtle and Bear are the Ape and Wolf, a full list can be found in Dark Tower IV- Wizards and Glass. I thought that the beam of the Ape would make the most sense with Ron (that's called foreshadowing folks). As always, flames, comments, rude remarks, please and thank you.


	3. The last charge of gilead

Other Paths Along the Beams

Part Three- The Last Charge of Gilead

Authors Note- This story is inspired by a misprint in the fourth Dark Tower novel, Wizard and Glass on page 197 _"Roland"_ is spelled _"Ronald"_(http: However I have modified some other facts from the books including the pairing of the twelve guardians along the six beams. In The Dark Tower VII it's said that the beam of wolf travels the path of the elephant here I've changed it to the path of the ape.

They drove in silence with the sandalwood box between them in the bucket seat of Mr. Steven Barkin's military decommissioned jeep its original desert brown kept clean since Barkin had acquired it some years ago. More than once did Ron think about saying something, going so far as to open his mouth before thinking better of it when he wasn't sure where he would begin. Mr. Barkin had made it clear that they would speak about most things when they got to Ron's house and talked with his parents who knew the whole story. What this story was and why Mr. B had started using such language as palaver and gunslinger.

"Hey Mr. B do you know anything about doors with Apes and Wolves on them?" Ron asked keeping his eyes on the road and trying not to glance at the man.

Mr. Barkin slammed on the brakes nearly missing a stop sign whipping his head around to his young charge quickly a look of curious shock on his face before turning back to the road, the mask of solemnity firmly back in place.

"They are the guardians of the beams that hold this and many other worlds in their paths and tether the tower at the center of all things. Now, no more questions, we're almost there anyways." Barkin commented in a tone of finality as he turned down Ron's street.

A few minutes later they turned into the Stoppables driveway where Ron could see both his parents cars already in the driveway which meant that Barkin had called them when he was on the phone. The conversation had been brief and he had mumbled it under his breath to keep Ron from ease dropping. Grasping the box Barkin got out of the jeep first but followed Ron to his front door allowing him to open the door with his house key. Inside Ron found his parents talking softly and holding hands in the living room, a large cardboard box on the coffee table next to the loveseat.

"Hey mom, dad." Ron said uneasily.

Both parents did their best to give him a smile but ended up turning to Barkin instead.

"Hail Sai Michael Stoppable of the white, Sai Brenda Stoppable of the white." Mr. Barkin remarked bowing slightly and touching three fingers to his throat. Then with his left hand he did the same only on his breastbone instead.

Barkin sat down in a chair opposite the Stoppables and Ron sat in the chair between the two his head shifting slowly to his parents and Mr. Barkin waiting for one of them to begin. Ron's father removed his glasses giving them a nervous cleaning before putting them back on. Finally it seemed that Mr. Barkin would begin as he cleared his throat but it was Ron's mother who began.

"Son, this palaver has been held off too long I'm afraid and that is all our faults we have forgotten the faces of our fathers." With this she hung her head slightly as the two men nodded in agreement with her. After a moment Mrs. Stoppable turned to Mr. Stoppable and gave a nod who in turn looked his son straight in the eye.

"Ronald, we must tell you of our past and how we came to this town and this world." Michael began taking a deep breath before continuing.

"World?" Ron began but was halted by his father.

"I beg thee son let me tell this tale to its end and then you may ask questions." He paused again looking into his son's eyes before continuing.

"Your mother and I am not from around here to put it simply son, neither is Mr. Barkin. We come from another world known to us as Mid-World on another level of the tower along the beam of the bear Shardik and path of the turtle Maturin. There we lived in the barony of New Cannan in the city of Philistia near the great city of Gilead where the last of the White in the All-world, In-World, Mid-World and End-World. I served under the last leader of the White Steven Deschain and learned to be a gunslinger under the tutelage of Cort son of Fardo and father of Barkin." Michael pointed to Mr. Barkin who nodded as Ron turned to the stiff man.

"The world however had moved on as it was wont to say and the Good Man known to some as John Farson had carried on a campaign to bring down the Baronies and 'free' the people of the oppressive rule of the Affiliation which stood as the network of Baronies. I served under Steven Deschain's Tet, a group of gunslingers loyal to the White and the light trying to put down Farson and reverse the degeneration of our world, we knew it had to do with the Tower at the end of the beams from prophecies and the few bends o'the rainbow that we had. These bends were orbs that could if used properly would reveal the past, present and perhaps even the future. We knew that Steven's surviving son Roland would be the one to quest for the tower along with his Tet of Cuthbert Allgood, Alain Jones and Jamie Decurry. Then all apprentice gunslingers but we all knew it was their KA especially after Roland defeated Cort, this however holds little weight for us now." Michael paused for a moment taking a drink of water from a glass of the coffee table. After returning from Hambry in the barony of Mejis near the western sea Roland and his tet were given the task of finding the tower. It was in that time that Steven Deschain he of the white set a select group of his closest gunslingers each with an important charge to insure the continuation if not the reversal of things in Mid-World and All-World. Knowing that Farson using the sigul of the rumored king of the crimson was drawing his forces towards the inner baronies having taken the outers Steven sent these gunslingers each with a wife soon to be with child each with a task that the son would then perform and if need be his son after him as it was often a gunslinger turned over his guns to his son. To Elias Stone and his wife Shelia was the charge of protecting or destroying the bends of the rainbow. To Fenton Abrams and his wife Eliza was the charge of finding the men of king of crimson and find his plans for the tower and the beams. To Rudolph Crown and his wife Francine the charge of finding those with the touch and learning of the plans of the king of crimson. Finally to Michael Stoppable and his wife Brenda the charge of keeping safe the other sigul of the Eld of the line of the Good King Arthur Eld and send his son if need be to find the tower." Michael paused again turning to the cardboard box as his wife picked up from this point in the story. Already however Ron had been pondering what this might fully mean and how he fitted into the picture. His mother who had been sipping from a cup of tea placed the cup down her hands shaking slightly turning to her son to begin her part.

"Steven knew that some things would soon come to pass, with black thirteen he had seen some of the future, his death although clouded was seen and so he sent us all out to find a group of folken known to some as the Manni one group at a time so as not to raise the suspicions of Marten his wizard and suspected turncoat. Your father and I being the last, barely escaping marauders that we later found to be men working for Marten and the Good Man Farson. It was only with the help of Barkin and another that was killed in the shoot out, later we found that Steven had been murdered most likely after Marten finding out about Stevens plans. From there we wandered east avoiding the roving bands of soldiers and staying just outside of the baronies, Michaels guns hidden in the same sandalwood box you see here today. It wasn't more than two months into our wandering across one of the now abandon coach roads that we came across a group of old men in women with long hair and long cloaks. Barkin spoke to them in the speech his father had taught him as it was said that Cort like his father had known the Manni people and traveled through their doors. After long palaver the folken took us in and for a short time we lived with them in a small outcropping of mountains where they had taken up residence in long abandoned bunkers as they would be called in this world. There we learned of the ways of Todash and the world walking of the power of some objects that the great old ones had used to do so but also how this could be done with the siguls of the Manni. We learned that time draws thin and ceases to function when one world walks and so we learned of the great ages of the Manni folken as well as the function of the beams as keepers of time as well as all worlds. Finally, one night a lookout came back to warn us that a band of Farson's men came nigh to either kill or capture us. It was then that the Manni reveled to us the door that they had found in the bunker, on it was the inscription

North Central Positronics, INC, Mid-World/New York City, Vocal Passcode only, Active. Gathering in a circle the Manni began to chant a phrase that I have now forgotten as the door began to glow and then open, quickly your father and I, Barkin and some of the younger Manni folken made it through before the bandilerros broke into the bunker and then the door was closed. When we got our barrings again we found ourselves on the other side of an old dusty basement in the year of 1985 month of April on the fourth day. Using what gold we were given by Steven as the Manni had refused our gifts of payment we made our way to the land the Manni called Colorado, the two youngest that made it serving as our guides. In time your father became an actuary as he has a bit of the touch, and I took night classes until we reached Colorado and the Manni folk left us to Nevada to find the Desatoya Mountains where they said they could find other doors. We settled here in Middleton and Barkin joined the Military shortly to learn more of this North Central Positronics and if this world knew anything of the beams, the guardians or the tower." Here Bethany stopped as well and then nodded to Barkin who nodded in understanding cleared his throat, Ron who had been looking at his father as he finished laying all the items from the box onto the coffee table turned to Mr. Barkin who would hopefully finish this part of the tale.

"When your parents were settled I joined the army serving in the Panama engagements and impressing all my superiors being promoted to the station of drill sergeant. All this time I kept an open ear and eye nearly getting caught more than once trying to figure out anything about North Central Positronics as we had been told by the Manni that this was the name of the great old people's siguls. I later learned they were an upstart company working on satellites, robots, AI, anything and everything electronic, but no names or factories, which made me, worry. Then four years ago in the year of 2000 I heard that something had been found in a lock box in the two towers. Ka is like a wheel they say and so I investigated finding that Black Thirteen the most important bend of the rainbow had been hidden in a safety deposit box in one of the towers. After relaying this news to your father he had a vision that the towers would fall and I retrieved the ball returning here with an honorable discharge as the incident of the missing ball and my claims of the towers being in danger went unheeded. I came here to watch over you as you and Ms. Possible had begun saving the world and became a teacher at the high school to insure your safety and subtly begin to train you. When black thirteen was found we knew that Ka's wheel had been set in motion again but your parents wanted to wait. It wasn't until your confrontation with Lord Montey Fisk.." Barkin paused allowing for this key piece of information sink in.

"The mystical monkey power." Ron murmured his jaw slightly slack.

"Yes, it seems that KA is indeed a wheel. The Manni who disappeared into Nevada never turned back up but did tell us we were now on the Beam of the Wolf, Path of the Ape. We have shifted an entire level to another beam yet still Ka seems to have a purpose for us and you Ronald. Those monkey totems that gave you your powers and the ability to wield the lotus blade came directly from the beams, you are a conduit for that power and so your destiny has again been called. From this day on you will live and train with me until you decide that you are ready to face me and claim the guns of your father." Barkin finished this by patting the sandalwood box he had brought with him.

"Now son, do you have any questions?" his father asked his hands firmly clasped together in a way that Ron knew was worry. Ron for his part had finally closed his gapping mouth with the help of Rufus. Taking a few deep breaths Ron turned first to his father and mother.

"What are gunslingers and why did this Farson guy want to get rid of them?"

His father seemed to relax a bit at this question but furrowed his brow in thought thinking of how best to put the difficult answer as it lead to more questions that he did not yet fully understand.

"We gunslingers served as protectors of the association and there in civilized society as a whole, having been descended from the original knights of Arthur Eld the first king of All-World who brought peace to the chaotic land. Much like the kings of this world the responsibility of ruling over the baronies as they became fewer as the machines of the great old ones broke down passed down along the line of Eld of whom Steven Deschain had the strongest link and was said to have wielded the guns forged from the sword of Arthur Eld, they being the siguls that Roland would carry to the tower. Farson we later learned was a puppet or maybe even a figment of the Crimson King, he who wishes to destroy the tower and bring all back down into the Prim. We know that he has been working on breaking the beams but little else as to how save for the use of those with the touch which would here be called psychics but the means is still a mystery. It is the Crimson king whose sigul is the red eye that has tried to stop the others on their charges, chiefly Roland." It was at this point that Ronald's father picked up one of the items he had laid on the table, it was a cloth rolled tight which he now unwound revealing a part of a tapestry.

"This comes from Gilead and entails how the King Crimson shown here as he of the red eyes has long tried to destroy the gunslingers and the line of Eld. His chief sorcerer is Walter O'Dim known also as Flagg and the Walking Dude who is in opposition to his twinner he who is known as Merlin wizard of Arthur Eld and yes seems to share some parallels with the Arthur of this world." His father added the last when Ron was about to ask the very same question. Ron studied the tapestry with its many small scenes showing a mix of knights and gunslingers as well as a large blonde man that he assumed to be Arthur Eld, the Crimson King however seemed to be the dead opposite shrouded in a red cloak with boney thin hands grasping either a knife or what room presumed to be one of the balls that they had talked about. This brought him to his next question.

"So you have black thirteen now Mr. Barkin?"

"No, your father does." Barkin responded pointing with open palm to Mr. Stoppable.

"Yes soon it is in here, a box made of ghost wood found only in Mid-World as it has properties of magic left by the Prim." Michael explained pointing out the small black engraved wooden box that sat next to the rolled out tapestry.

"Yeah, about that, what is this Prim?" Ron queried next. His mother took this one however.

"Well Ronald in the beginning all things were part of the Prim the primordial beginnings of the universe from which rose the Tower and the beams but also many great and terrible creatures and magics that in the long ago added the great old ones in creating the beams or so it is said. As the millennia passed the magic began to fade and after our world moved on few artifacts remained, like the bends or the sword of Eld."

Ron was silent again for a good couple of minutes looking first at the tapestry then the ghostwood box and finally the other items on the table; finally he narrowed his questions down to three.

"Can you tell me about Mr. Toren and that rose on the side of his house."

All three adults looked at each other at the same time one trying to read the others or perhaps speaking without speaking as Ron sometimes did with Kim or Rufus.

"Well, you knew Mr. Toren when you were younger." His mother began.

"Sure, he went to temple with us all the time." Ron confirmed remembering how important Mr. Toren had been to the small Jewish community.

"Yes, well one of the reasons that we became Jewish was to watch and come in contact with Mr. Toren whose family at one time owned half of Middleton, Upperton and Lowerton. In time he invited us to his house and using the high speech, the language of our world we found that he was an active guardian as his ancestors had been of the rose whose twin lays with many others in the field of Can Kanoray that encompasses the dark tower, he has from time to time moved between the worlds but to very few as he knows little of the technology left by his ancestors or of the movements of the Crimson King. When he was dying he entrusted us with the care of his house and the Rose, just as his son would have if he had one. That however is now are charges and not yours." This last his mother said after his father had finished leading Ron to his next question.

"Okay, if we all got these charges and then fled, what became of the others?"

"Well son, as I have a bit of the touch and we have had Black Thirteen for some time now we have tried to find this out as well, we know that Roland seeks still the Tower, the others however have all fallen or their son's lost to the worlds save for Lucius Crown son or Rudolph who wanders now with the Manni folken trying to hide those with the touch from the men of the Crimson King who seem to be those beasts and creatures of the elder Prim. It is said that Robert Stone son of Fenton found and destroyed the remaining bends of the rainbow save for black thirteen which fell into the hands first of Walter O'Dim in which Robert meet his end and the white ball which is under the care of one of the agents of the White that you may yet meet." His father explained tapping the black box and the stake of books beside it.

"So what then I'm I supposed to do, I'm no gunslinger." Ron said a slight bit of exasperation in his voice.

"That is not true Stoppable, you are pure of heart and have the hands of a gunslinger, I saw you in gym today, your aim and swiftness was unmatched save for Ms. Possible, there is also the matter of the monkey power and your training in Yamanagochi which I know all about." Barkin practically barked keeping both eyes on the young man who seemed to be quickly filling with doubt.

"More than that son, your charge has changed you say true. It seems that Roland has lost a sigul, the horn of Eld along his travels and he may not be able to breach the tower without it. Your task will be to find this horn and ensure that Roland receives it before his final journey to the tower; also you must assist in any way possible in stopping the crimson king and his minions from destroying the beams and the tower.

"But why me dad."

"Because son, we do not chose what Ka wills. You must stand and be true for you are of the line of Eld, and this world, Mid-World and all other worlds along the beams and the towers depend on you and Roland to do what must be done. I know you can son if only you stand and be true." This response was from his mother whose eyes welled with tears as she built up tightening a loose grip on her husbands hand as she finished.

"Well stoppable, will you stand and be true, for Mid-World and All worlds?" Barkin questioned.

Again Ron was at a lose for words looking at his feet for a moment before looking into the tear filled eyes of his mother and the shining eyes of his father, looking in himself he could feel that monkey power calling to him as it had on a few other occasions and then the image of him standing in the field of roses as they sang their song gazing upon the tower.

"Yes." Was all he said.

Next- Old foes, New friends and Ron's test of manhood.

PS. Sorry about not including Rufus for a while there he will appear more often and the plot will move much faster in the next few chapters. Reviews, complaints, rude remarks all serve Ka, say thankya. Can I get a god bomb.


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